Primošten & Rogoznica · Croatia · Reef
Mulo lighthouse
The biggest gorgonian forest Pongo claims for the Adriatic, at 40 m
Area photo: Carsten Steger · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mulo lighthouse stands on a small island off this coast, and the dive works the ground under it: rock channels in the shallows, then steps down to the top of a cliff about 20 m tall. Advanced divers go to 40 m for the gorgonian forest, and the bottom keeps falling to 55 m. Current is the thing to plan for — Pongo says it is usually strong here.
Also known as Mulo.
Where it is and how deep
43.5136° N, 15.9191° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Both of the dives Pongo runs here start in a few metres of water among big rocks that form small channels, then pass over a series of steps a few metres high until, at around 20 m, you reach the top of the cliff. The face below is covered in growth, with holes and cracks holding moray eels, congers and octopus. The first dive goes to about 30 m on the cliff and turns back toward the boat.
Deeper is what the site is named for: at 40 m Pongo puts the largest forest of gorgonian fans it claims for the Adriatic, and the ground keeps going to 55 m past anything the dive uses. The shallower option is a lap around the island instead, where the rock is overgrown with seaweed and holds the animals — lobsters, sea snails, scorpionfish, conger and moray eels, with amberjack out in the water off the rock.
Background
The light the site is named for is an Austro-Hungarian lighthouse built in 1873 on the small island of Mulo. Pongo, which dives the site between the two dives it runs here, says the lighthouse is fully automatic now, where in the old days a keeper's family lived on the island all year round. The dive itself is the ground the island stands on: shallow rock channels, a 20 m cliff, and the gorgonian forest below it.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Primošten & Rogoznica: The swimming season runs June to October; Pongo prices a low season as well, so winter diving happens at around 12–15 °C.
Know before you go
- Pongo says the current is always running here and can be strong: stay with the guide, because missing the turn back means swimming home against it.
- Fishing nets are set around this island and the operator's own briefing note is to watch for them.
Sources
- Mulo lighthouse — Scubago
- Best Dives in Croatia (Mulo Dive) — Diving Center Pongo
- Deep Blue Diving site list (Mulo) — Deep Blue Diving
- Mulo — Diving Center Pongo
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